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Rabbi Eliyahu Zukierman

We are now in the beginning of the Jewish month of Elul, the month that precedes the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We are taught that the month of Elul is the time when Hashem – G-d is especially close to His people. It

Although we are already in the midst of the joyous month of Adar, many authorities posit that increasing simcha is an obligation throughout the entire month. How can we begin to manifest this heightened sense of simcha? The Sefer Nimukei Orach Chaim (to Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim Chapter 685) writes that

The Chofetz Chaim writes that there are only two Jewish festivals during the winter: Chanukah and Purim. At Chanukah, the enemies of the Jewish people tried to take away from us, G-d forbid, our holy Torah, which is our soul and spirit. At Purim they tried to destroy us physically, G-d forbid, by attacking our bodies. What was the result? We were victorious, and we retained